SUPPORT THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICE OF URBAN AFFAIRS TO INFLUENCE FEDERAL POLICY REINFORCING THE ABILITY OF METROPOLITAN REGIONS TO THRIVE

WHEREAS, the top 100 metro areas generate 75 percent of the nation's gross domestic product, two-thirds of our jobs and nearly 80 percent of our patents, making them the center of national economic recovery and long-term prosperity; and

WHEREAS, 42 of our metro areas now rank among the world's 100 largest economies, highlighting the need to promote strong cities as the backbone of regional growth; and

WHEREAS, each major area of domestic policy-economic, social, and environmental-presents important opportunities for policy integration and to grow sustainable metropolitan areas.

WHEREAS, the federal government should strategically combine transportation, housing, energy, environmental, and anti-poverty policies in order to strengthen metropolitan regions; and

WHEREAS, Mayors who lead efforts to foster regional cooperation between city and county governments are strengthening the ability of cities to remain competitive; and

WHEREAS, President Obama established the Office of Urban Affairs by Executive Order on February 19, 2009; and

WHEREAS, the new office has a unique opportunity to engage metropolitan leaders and institutions in a new kind of partnership with the federal government; and

WHEREAS, the office will serve as a critical voice for Mayors focusing on metropolicy and sustainability issues which cut across multiple agencies; and

WHEREAS, the office will facilitate the development of inter-agency cooperation and policy development around key issues such as transportation, energy, workforce, housing and economic development;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that U.S. Conference of Mayors supports the efforts of the White House Office of Urban Affairs to advocate and implement an agenda within the Obama Administration that strengthens the ability of metropolitan areas to thrive by creating policies and resources that enhance and incentivize regional cooperation and strategies between cities and their neighboring jurisdictions, facilitate integrated solutions to our nation's most complex challenges, and better empower (rather than stifles) cities and their metro areas to adopt innovative solutions to achieve the goals of competitiveness, sustainability and inclusion by creating policies and resources that enhance and incentivize regional cooperation with cities as central assets of metropolitan regions.